Air Ride vs. Conversion

[jpalm]

I know this has been discussed many times on here but I've never seen anyone give a real description of ride quality with the conversion compared to air ride. I'm considering purchasing the conversion kit, but i dont want to lose that Lincoln feel. So can anyone who has done it give a better description as it rides ok?

 

[87TTOPGT420]

rides like a thunderbird with coil conversion

 

[LaserSVT]

Pretty much. You wanna know how it rides, find a mid 90's T-Bird and take it for a spin.

Most lowered versions ride kinda bouncy.

You can get a good setup with Vogland springs and quality dampeners but you will lose a bit of the plush ride in exchange for better roll control.

 

[Lownslowlsc]

Pretty much. You wanna know how it rides, find a mid 90's T-Bird and take it for a spin.

Most lowered versions ride kinda bouncy.

You can get a good setup with Vogland springs and quality dampeners but you will lose a bit of the plush ride in exchange for better roll control.

Yeah, I'm really starting to hate my lowered kit. The bouncing is quite annoying, esp the rear. The rear shocks have maybe 7k on em, but they are the cheaper monroe's to the lowered kits defense. Def needs firmer springs and shocks.

But a lowered a/r had a similiar feel both f+r for me. If i didn't like the look so much i'd get standard height fronts as i allready have the rears. Maybe someday.

 

[LaserSVT]

The key is the shock. Higher rate shocks work killer on lower rate springs for our cars weight.

 

[chris2523]

The key is the shock. Higher rate shocks work killer on lower rate springs for our cars weight.

this. and i believe spring cars have different valving than air cars. they're different animals.
so changing the front with a kit works ok, cuz the shock changes too. but when you do the springs in the back, you gotta change to a different style shock so it rides better.

 

[Lownslowlsc]

Sidetrack- Quick ?, list the best rear shock for around 30-40 each...GO.....

 

[LaserSVT]

Used Bilstiens

 

[Lownslowlsc]

Nothing new? kyb's maybe? Or just not even worth it.

 

[LaserSVT]

KYB (the cheap ones) will fail quickly on a lowered car. The only decient cheap shock is a Tokico Blue.

 

[American Air-1]

Well, if you ask 100 people after one of our conversions have been done, 80 of them are tickled pink. 10 say it should be firmer, the other 10 say it should be softer.

The moral of the story is.....you can't make a cv kit that EVERYBODY will be happy with. Ain't everybody happy with the air....how could they be happy with a conversion?

 

[zmt325]

KYB (the cheap ones) will fail quickly on a lowered car. The only decient cheap shock is a Tokico Blue.

x2 on the blues. super happy with mine. no bounce at all! the springs i have are a progressive rate. so when just tooling along smooth as silk. when you lean into a curve they firm up. I like my setup alot. i am just not happy with the rear height. it is about 1/2 in from perfectly level:shifty:. which SUCKS BAD!!! but dlf has a kit that will alleviate my problem.

 

[joeynat]

I got my 94 already converted and without knowing how the car rides with the air ride I want to put it back in !

 

[zmt325]

I got my 94 already converted and without knowing how the car rides with the air ride I want to put it back in !

did you replace the rear shocks? the mark viii ones are not valved for springs it needs Thunderbird shocks. I would strongly suggest that before you just toss the spring setup.

if you are looking for the softest ride available you need the air system. there is someone selling there air ride stash in the for sale section right now. if your looking for a bit of a sport set up, IMHO springs are the way to go. it takes some fine tuning to get it right. but once you get it right you will be satisfied.